[SJAAboard] C11-Compustar

[leebizz at aol.com]

Hi all,
Please forgive the mysterious question marks that show up in my emails.

?After working on the C11 Compustar SCT and?reattaching 3 wires on the?Declination axis,?it appears it has outlived it's usefullness in it's present configuration.? In my opinion we need to make changes in order to make it a practical loaner telescope.

?Optical coatings seem okay and I've heard this particular OTA?is good optically,?but the mount is a real problem.

1.? The overall condition of the OTA and mount is mediocre, which by itself isn't a problem, but there is lots of play in the Declination axis of the fork mount.

2.? It requires so much power in order to function that is totally impractical to operate in the field as a loaner telescope.? If a typical 12V source is used, the drive motors quiver from lack of power and the computer display warns of "Low Battery".? When a strong 12V battery is used, the power cord quickly blows it's own inline fuse.? Since Celestron provided this telescope with a massive power converter as big as a shoebox, it was aware of the power consumption issue.? I can't imagine how this telescope could erver run on? remote battery power for more than an hour.? I suppose if it were using 120v wall power and some kind of 12V converter that might provide for it's power needs, but that's not for us and even then, I'm not sure it can be made to work properly.? It's like an old car that gets 5 miles per gallon of gas- and should be retired.

Some possible options for new mount using existing OTA:

1.? Find older C11 fork mount.? This would be the cheapest, but would require a power converter as the old mounts were made to run on 120v.

2.? Find a newer C11 GOTO?fork mount

3.? Find a medium duty GEM, either non GOTO or GOTO and convert OTA to fit.? I don't know of any suitable GEMs in the loaner program.

OR:

4.? Sell the whole thing with a warning that it needs help.

Lee